Dual
by blue nebulae
Summary: Everything has an opposite that compliments it, everybody knows it a longs to find it. Most people call it a soulmate. Some people are what they call loners, born without one or never cared to find them. Gendry always thought he was a loner.
1. Chapter 1

**Dual**

Duality, it's what rules this world. Everything has an opposite that compliments it, everybody knows it a longs to find it. Most people call it a soulmate, almost everyone he knows is looking for their own soulmate as if they wanted to be whole once and for all.

Most of people he knew were already paired, most met theirs as kids or during high school. He was one of the few who was still alone in this world. Gendry had heard of people who were born without a soulmate, his mother had been one of those. She was a loner, ones that never found or were born without a soulmate, but never felt the need to look for it.

Particularly, he never did much to find his own. IF he was paired, he just assumed he would find his soulmate eventually, if not it was perfectly fine. He wouldn't be surprised if he was to spend his life alone, everyone abandoned him. His father never cared for him or his mother, just gave him a powerful last name and paid for school. His own mother was the one that busted her ass off working to make sure he had a roof over his head and food on the table before cancer consumed her.

Many people had told him that you knew the moment you meet your soulmate, nobody could explain it to him. When his half-sister found hers, she only could say that it was as if the world was new, she felt him near and when she turned around it was it, she just knew. It was something that saddened him, her finding her mate because it meant she was not going to be around that often. They were half-brothers from the samefather. They both looked too much alike, which meant they looked like their father, Robert Baratheon a wealthy business guy. His mark was their blue eyes, tall frame and dark thick hair,

While working he could see how couples came in with their cars to the shop, they always ended up asking how he met his soulmate while he was working on their cars. When he said he didn't have one people always looked at him with pity and told him that his time would come soon.

He lived his life as it was, soulmateless. He felt whole and it didn't bother him, so why people pitied him? He was contempt. He had a job he was good at, he attended his last year of university and he had a group of friends, he had a comfortable life. He could go on like this.

Now he was arriving to a bar he usually never goes, because he was going to meet his sister Mya's friends and her infamous soulmate. As soon as his sister saw him she jumped to hug him and introduced him to everyone.

"Guys, this is my younger brother Gendry" – she was so excited when she started to introduce him to a bunch of people– "This is Jon, his brother Robb, Theon, you already know Beric, and this" – pointing towards a big ginger sitting on the booth's corner –"this is my soulmate, Thoros of Myr". The guy stood up and shook his hand, the rest of the guys saluted him with nod and a smile.

His sister, the rebel and non shit taker who hated rich people like their father had been matched with a rich guy herself for all he could see. Thoros was tall and buff, he was almost as tall as him. The other folks were apparently rich people, he recognised Jon from a workshop class he had a while ago in uni, he was the guy who always dressed in black. His brother was a lean guy with a dark red hair colour and that Theon guy was a skinny blond guy with a mischievous look.

Time passed and he was dreading every minute of it, it wasn't that most of the guys were wealthy or assholes, they were pretty nice and they were talking and drinking. It wasn't the fact that Jon, Robb and had soulmates called Ygritte and Jeyne whom made an appearance later that night. It wasn't the fact that Beric was the one who talked to him the most, as if he was analysing him. Something was keeping him on edge, probably the fact that at any moment they were going to ask him about his non-existent soulmate. Why did people who find their soulmates look so happy? He always wondered that.

"Hey, look Sansa is here with The Hound" – the blond guy said and Jon and Robb turned their heads to look someplace, he felt curious so he looked as well. – "Think The Hound will start a fight if anyone looks at Sansa?" – Robb said with a laugh

"Think Arya is coming too?" – Jon asked. He felt so out of place, he didn't know anyone. –

"Sansa, the redhead over there, is our younger sister and that scary guy with her is her soulmate. Arya is our little sister" – Jon explained to him while pointing to the redhead. He probably saw his lost look and felt sorry for him. Well, they were kind of okey guys for all he could tell so far, tried to make him feel included and all because he was probably going to see them often now that his sister was matched with one of them.

He turned to look where Jon was pointing and saw a tall redhead girl with an incredibly tall guy who glared anyone that came near them. The guy, or The Hound, as they kept calling him was a scary folk with a burnt scar on his face; one could tell had been good looking before that scar marked his face. He wondered if he was scarred before his matching with that Sansa girl or if she fell in love with him even if he was marked already. Could that soulmate bond be that strong?

"Gendry, you ok?" – his sister asked

"Yeah, why?" – He was feeling something, nervous since he got here. The nerves of meeting new people was getting to him, he felt out of place. He shrug off her sister's questions, he didn't want any attention. Gendry continued talking with the guys and saw how most of the time the matched people got lost in their own little world, Beric didn't seem to care neither did that Theon guy who kept talking to him.

Beers kept flowing and he found out about the other people. Jon, Robb and Theon were his age 24, Thoros was 26. They were also finishing school this year, Jon went to the same college he did and Robb went to a private on the other side of town, north way. Jon's girl was a redhead who kept challenging him to drinking games while Robb's one was a quieter type of girl. Theon was a prankster and eventually that Sansa girl, she was 21, joined them with her soulmate who was 27.

They all seemed like a solid group, everyone had a place and purpose. His own sister now had a place among them and he didn't. He was a loner, as usual. When that feeling got too much he excused himself and went to the bathroom. He needed a breather, there he did his business washed his hands and splashed water on his face and hair, making it more of a thick mess than it usually is.

As he seemed to feel better he went back, he was on edge. What was wrong with him? He had never felt so nervous in his life. Had he developed social anxiety tonight? He probably needed another beer to get his shit straight.

He was walking back when he saw someone else had joined their table. It was a small girl, he could tell. She was standing and facing her back to him. Great, probably another soulmate of one of the guys or a girl with her own had joined them. His heart was beating harder, what was happening to him? It was as if the air in this place was light and wasn't getting into his lungs.

He saw Mya pointing at him and the girl turned around as in command, their eyes locked. He saw grey eyes, deep grey who were looking at him with a surprised look. His heart was beating its way out of his chest and the world was spinning and disappearing. All sound died, everything turned black except the eye from that girls. He needed to get closer and get out of that darkness that was surrounding him.

His legs didn't want to obey him, he tried harder until they started functioning. The world was coming back, he could see the bar and the people on their table who were still talking all happily. The new girl was still looking at him; he was getting closer walking as fast as he could when she ran away. She just ran…

"Arya, where are you going?" – he heard someone yell. Who? He wasn't sure.

"Gendry, are you ok? You look as if you've seen a ghost!" – his sister was talking to him, he couldn't answer. He forgot how to speak. She was getting closer to him, walking him towards the table. Had he stopped walking? When? When the girl ran away?

He sat down, the world was still spinning. His heart was still beating fast. Everyone was looking at him. He was hot, the place was too hot and bright and the sound was now too loud. Where had the girl ran away?

"Here, take this" – someone handed him a glass of something, he drank it one gulp. It was cold beer.

"Dude, breathe. You ok?'" – he looked up, Theon was talking to him. He looked at everyone. He looked at each person, one at a time and when he saw his sister he knew. It was clear to him now.

"I think I found her" – was all he could say.

* * *

Author's note

An idea popped on my mind.


	2. Chapter 2

**Dual**

He hated it. He was matched and there was nothing he could do about it. Almost everything that happened after he saw that girl was a blur, his sister took him home after he went into an almost catatonic state.

What was worst being that people he barely knew saw him lost it, he actually freaking lost it. He wasn't ready to be matched, he wasn't ready to find his soulmate and he wasn't ready for her to run away at the sight of seeing him. Was he that horrible of a match? Who was that girl anyways? She was an acquaintance of the people he hanged around that day, but they never mentioned her name.

His sister kept calling him to check on him, the first few days he went into Thoreau mode and disappeared from civilization, then he immersed himself in work and college. The only places one could find him where the car shop at Mott's, behind the car shop where he practiced a hobby of his and his flat. No more bars, online grocery shopping was his new favourite thing. He couldn't handle facing those greys eyes again, he wasn't ready.

Now he was walking as fast as he could towards his bike, he didn't want to talk to anyone. Just go home and avoid the rain that was coming. His surprise was that someone was waiting for him. Jon was leaning on his bike with arms crossed, dressed in black as always. He slowed his pace as he arrived to his bike.

"Nice ride, mate" – Jon was analysing his bike. What did he want?

"amm, thanks" – this was awkward, what was that guy doing here? Was he going to make fun of him. Crap, he hated the world.

"So heard you have a way of fixing cars" – the guy was looking at him; it was as if he was being tested.

"Yeah, I work at a car shop" – he had no patience for it.

"Can you fix an old car? A Camaro?" –

"They're the same principle, aren't they?" – he was shifting uncomfortable on his spot, he just wanted to go home.

"I used to have a Suzuki Hayabusa, got into an accident a while back and got this" – the guy pointed to a scar he had on his face – "Haven't rode it much ever since" – So the guy was feeling like telling him his life story or what?

"So… you want anything? – go to the point fast, Snow.

"Boring you much, huh? Yeah, I want to get a certain car fixed and heard you were the best mechanic in town" – so he wanted a favour?

"Well, you can take it to the shop" – he walked towards his bike while putting his helmet on.

"See, this is a special quest. This ride has a special meaning, you see. Mya said you can help me and double charge me without guilt. I think actually I'd be cheaper to buy a whole new car, but it has to be this one" – Jon looked at him. He was going to say no, but it'd bring trouble to his sister. Gendry hated doing favours to people.

"I'll be all day by the shop tomorrow, you can take it there. You know where it is, don't you?" – he hoped on, the guy was looking at him, there was something about this conversation that made him vulnerable. – "Yeah, I'll take it there in the morning. See you tomorrow" – it felt as if he was the one being dismissed. He hoped on his bike and got out of that place.

Next day, when he arrived to the shop and Jon was already there waiting for him. Well, that made Gendry hate him a little less, he disliked unpunctuality.

"Needed to have it pullover all the way here, Mott said it was okay to keep it inside the shop. That's fine, right?" – the guy was looking way friendlier than yesterday as if he wasn't testing him anymore. It made him feel more at ease, but there was still something about this guy.

"Yeah, it's fine. Let's check it out" – he walked to the back of the shop where the new car was. It was a 73 old Camaro, in the worst conditions possible. Gods, those cars were to be kept as a collection, to be taken care of and this was destroyed. The pain, seats, as he checked the engine and other stuff it was almost a lost cause.

"It's bad, isn't it?" – Jon asked with a defeated tone.

"Indeed" – it was all he could say.

"It really doesn't matter how much it costs, as long as you can fix it. We'll search to the end of the world for the pieces you'll need. But it has to be this car" – the guy was a foot away from begging.

"It'll take time; it's going to cost you. Not because of me, but because of what you're going to need. The engine is busted; it'll need a new one. Change of interior, painting. It'll be like making a new car. You'll even need to change parts of the carcass. Really mate, are you sure you don't want a new car?" – he was being honest, this was going to cost a fortune.

"Yes, I'm sure. But, time is something we don't have much of" – he seems disappointed.

"Due date?" – if he really wanted this car he could make it work, but he had to be realistic this was not going to be easy. It could be fun working on this type of cars, they were classics.

"We only have three weeks" – the guy sighted. A month was too little time if some pieces were hard to find or needed to be order from far away.

"Please, tell me you can do it. We'll pay, we'll look for the parts and all. But please, help us" – Jon looked him in the eye, there was something about the tone of his request. This car must be really especial, but…

"We?" – Gendry was curious all this time Jon had been talking in plural it was kind of weird, he laughed at his question.

"Yes, we. It's kind of a family request this, you see. This car is very especial to us, my sister looked for it specially for months. When she found it she was destroyed to see it in this conditions" – Gendry sighted, he would feel bad if he refused a work like this. It was going to be time consuming as hell.

"I'll do it. I can fix it" – Yes, this was going to be his personal project.

"Thanks mate, you have no idea what this means" – the guy extended his hand for a handshake type of hug. He had never been fold of physical interaction but it'd be rude if he rejected. Then he started making a list of parts he was going to need that he might not get a hold of that easily, he could order a few but I'd take time.

In the end they exchanged numbers and started talking about school and stuff while also talking about the car. Gendry also checked if he was going to need something else. Jon left short after and next day he came back with a check for the first payment, the one destined to parts. Jon tried to make small talk looking all uncomfortable.

"So, I'm sorry to ask or bring the topic but you seem to be okay by now. I mean, what happened the other night at the bar" – crap, the guy mentioned it up. He could feel himself blush.

"yeah, don't know know what happened that night" –

"You know what happened. To some it's quite a shocker finding your soulmate. You got scared some have it worst, believe me" – the guy laughed and blushed.

"Can it even get worst?" – he used his sarcasm tone, he didn't want to talk about the topic.

"Yeah, I passed out when I met Ygritte" – Jon laughed – "She still doesn't let me live it down. My sister Sansa got a meltdown when she saw she was matched with a guy that didn't look like prince charming. Another person really close to my heart panicked and ran away in front of her soulmate" – the guy chuckled – "And you really don't want to know what my friend Sam did. Yours was really a nice reaction" – Jon said it with such an ease that made Gendry feel as if he wasn't been mocked. This was just the guy talking to him.

"Well, then I guess I got lucky, didn't I?" – he sighted and the guy laughed, but it was a mock not directed at him, Gendry could tell.

"Don't know about that but I do know that your soulmate is going to be quite handy" – holy shit, what had Jon said?!

"You… you know? Who? I…" - He was lost at words, his mouth gaping like a fish, probably. Jon chuckled.

"Don't take it personally, she tends to run away when things get too much to handle. That's just her, you'll get used to it." – how could the guy possibly know who he had matched to? There were a lot of people on that bar

"how do you know who my soulmate is?! – shit, no no no. He had avoided the topic until now for the guy to bring it up now.

"Gendry, your soulmate is my sister Arya" – what in seven hells? – "How can you be so sure I matched with your sister?! – he was going into panic.

"well, it's not that quite hard to point out. You were pretty out of it, you kept saying stuff while Mya and I took you home. And then I talked to Arya. Put two and two together and that was it" – he didn't even remember talking after he sat down. What did he even say? This was too much for him, he needed to sit down. He looked at Jon, he was just there with his arms crossed and an amused expression.

"You took me home?" – he, unfortunately, didn't remember any of it. His world was shocked that night, you couldn't blame him.

"Yes, look It's alright you don't remember. You don't need to get embarrassed or anything but you were thinking out loud, I guess. You described what you saw I suppose and 'grey eyes, dark hair, short girl' is a quite accurate description of my sister to be honest" – dear gods, he wanted the earth to swallow him. Why couldn't he be a loner? – "There are a lot of girls like that" – he tried to defend himself.

Jon let out a laugh, the guy was so relaxed now. Was Jon happy she was matched to a guy like him? – "Could be, but when I found her she was talking about "big guy that looks like a bull, blue eyes, dark hair and… other things…" – the guy was using and amused tone and what other things? She said he looked like a bull? Really? That was great…

Really, his life was hell now. In the time lapse of a few days it had gone from simple to a freaking living hell. HE ran a hand through his hair, he hated been matched.

"So, the reason I brought the topic is because, well…" – Jon started talking again, shifting uncomfortable on his feet.

"She hates me, doesn't she?" – he wanted to be crushed under the Camaro.

"no! no! Just that I suppose you'll meet eventually, I thought I should give you the heads up about that. She doesn't know you're the one working on the car, though… but this car is special for her, you see" – Jon was moving his hands while talking, as trying to diminish his nervousness – "guess, it's a nice way of meeting officially through this project" –

"Have you told her you know me?" – he said while looking down, he hated this whole soulmate thing.

"No, I haven't. See, I have to go now" – Jon looked at his watch – "I have class and I have to drive back to uni. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, mate. I found a place where they sell car parts, I'll see if they have anything tomorrow. We can talk more about it tomorrow and I'll tell you more about her or don't know, it's kind of weird, isn't it?" – the guy shifted on his spot again before turning around and leaving.

Well, Gendry cursed under his breath. He didn't want to be matched and he didn't want Jon to know more about his own soulmate than him. He just wanted to forget this whole deal, he went back into the shop to work and occupied his mind. Stupid soulmate thing, he thought.

* * *

 **Author's note:**

Second chapter, not much of Arya yet. Jon knows something this time.

Fav, follow, rev if you like.


	3. Chapter 3

Dual

He was running late to work, nor that it matters because Mott never actually cared if he was a few minutes late. Gendry was actually proud of his punctuality, but today he slept in because he had just finished his midterm exams week. He spent most of his time fixing the Camaro and studying and he didn't let anyone of the guys at the shop work on it, it was his personal project. So now, he was tired as hell.

And yesterday he got drunk, Mya dropped by and decided to get him drunk because it had been too long since they hanged out. Now he was hangover and late for work it was going to be a dreadful Monday.

He had been working on the car for the last two weeks. Jon dropped occasionally and he stayed around to talk to him and he also bumped into him on university. The guy was a nice lad, Gendry liked him. He even considered him a kind of friend now, he spent talking about life most of the time, they had a few things in common like the bastard factor. Also, Jon never brought the soulmate topic again.

He was walking fast when he got in, he was just entering the shop when he felt a tug in his chest and bumped into someone.

"watch it, you fucking giant" –

His heart exploded and all ounce of air left his lungs, because he had just bumped into his soulmate. She was now on the floor, where she ended after crashing into his bigger form and he was looking at her and couldn't move a muscle. He hated how scared he felt every time he was near her, it was horrible. He recovered and extended his hand to help her stand up.

"I… I'm sorry, uhm are you okay?" – she looked up at him, her eyes flicked and she glared at him for a moment before standing up without his help. He could feel every inch of his body tense up.

"Stop staring, you creep!" – he cursed mentally, he didn't realize he was staring, well he did realize but he couldn't help it. In front of him was the most beautiful girl he had laid his eyes on. She was extremely tiny and skinny, she didn't even reach his collarbones. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt, skinny jeans and snickers. Her hair was dark brown and looked as if she had cut it herself, it was angled shorter on the back and the front barely reached her neck. Her eyes were big and grey, they were even clearer on daylight. He was stunned.

He could feel anger coming from her, aimed at him – "I'm sorry" – he apologized again, his soulmate hated him.

He felt the air charged, she was there looking at him with fury and he was just there standing feeling scared. What was he supposed to say? "Hey, my name is Gendry and I'm your soulmate!". There should be a manual for this kind of instances. He couldn't take, he was probably a coward but he wanted to excuse himself and leave. He was making his way round and about to start walking when she spoke.

"Do you know who is working on the Camaro?" – she asked him all of a sudden

"what?" – he felt like an idiot for asking, but he couldn't help it.

"You work here, right? –

"How would you know?" – he was keeping his guard up in the most stupid way possible – "You're wearing a uniform, dumbass. Do you know who is working on the Camaro?" – he was feeling even more dumb by the second.

"No" – he said it too quickly, suspiciously quickly. She just rolled her eyes as if defeated – "well, tell whoever is working on it to not fuck it up" – and she left. Now he understood Jon's words from the other day, Arya was quite something. The authority on her voice stirred something in him. His soulmate was hot as hell.

After she left he got to work, he discovered she had left the last parts that were needed to finish the car. He was close to finishing it, yesterday he stayed late working on the engine. Today, he was just finishing the last touches from under the car and then he was going to start painting. Gendry forgot to ask Jon what colour the car was supposed to be.

"You are a terrible liar" –

"ouch! Fucking seven hells fuckers fuck!" – He jumped when he heard _that_ voice. As he tried to get up, like a reflex motion, he ended up hitting his head. He rolled out from under the car and put his hand on his forehead, he would probably spot a bump there later.

He was still cursing when he heard the most beautiful sound on earth, she was laughing. If his forehead didn't hurt as much as it did now he would probably be angry that she was laughing at him, but he was just awed. She was standing a few feet away from him laughing, she was wearing shorts today, and from where he was sitting her legs seemed to go on forever.

"you shouldn't do that!" – he yelled, he was probably blushing now and he still had his hands on his forehead. She looked so cute while laughing.

"What? Laugh?" – she shouldn't do that either. Gods, her voice was so pretty, it was a little bit husky and all sexy.

"You shouldn't do that either, you are not supposed to scare people when they are under a freaking car!" – embarrassment washed over him – "Gods, you're such a drama queen" – she rolled her eyes and used an amused tone. He stood up and finally got his hands from his head, he was feeling a little bit light headed but Gendry wasn't sure if it was because of the bump he had just had or because of her.

"So, umm, what brings you here?" – he opened the hood and went back to work , trying to get his mind of her being well there, but he kept glancing at her from time to time, he just couldn't help it.

"Wanted to see who is working on the car, I was afraid it was going to be you, the idiot who bumps into people but seems it can't be helped" – what? So she scared the crap out of him and insults him? Who did she think she is?!

"You shouldn't insult people that are bigger than you" – she was just getting on his nerves, coming here all of a sudden and insulting him and scaring him. He glared at her, he was hating her now. He hated the effect she had on him.

"Then I wouldn't get to insult anyone!" – she said all calmly, shrugging of his answer –

"Is it going to be ready for Friday?" – she asked all of a sudden. Right, he knew that it was supposed to be ready this week – "Yes" – he answered her.

"Good, guess you're not as dumb as you seem" – she laughed again, she was mocking him now. Gods, he wanted to hate her so much, why did she have to be his soulmate? – "Well, see you around. You really better not fuck this up" – she turned to leave, at last but her leaving didn't make him happy.

"wait!" – he blurted, crap he could not beliwve he stopped her. She turned around to face him waiting for whatever he had called her for

"The colour! I'm painting it now but your brother didn't tell me what colour it's supposed to be" – yes, his mind worked quickly enough now.

"Grey, that car used to be grey" – right, the car would look good in that colour, not the puke green it was now. He laughed at the term he used thought to describe the car now. She turned around and left. Well, tomorrow he was going to paint it grey, he was liking that colour now.

 **Author's note**

Hope you like.

Fav, follow, rev if you like.


	4. Chapter 4

**Dual**

"Favourite Beatle?" –

"Ringo Star. Yours?" –

"Seriously? Ringo?" –

"Yes" –

"Favourite Beatle song?" –

"Helter Skelter but I also really like Octopus Garden. Yours?" –

"So you're a like a creepy family groupie?" –

"Nah, Manson ruined the white album for the rest of us. The crazy guy had cool songs though. What's your favourite song from them?". –

He really couldn't understand what was going on, when he arrived to the shop today Arya was already there, sitting on top of his work table with her legs crossed. He painted the car and as the first coat was drying he was being interrogated. It started with simple dumb questions as his favourite fruit (pears), favourite Friends character (Chandler) and so on. He always asked her back, but he never got an answer.

Well, he supposed this odd behaviour of hers had something to do with getting to know the person who is supposed to be your soulmate and see if you have something in common, but he was getting no answer whatsoever! She just kept ignoring his questions and asking him more! And she never mentioned her being his soulmate or that subject at all. Now he was answering her cop interrogation.

"Favourite movie?" –

The Shawshank Redemption. Yours?" –

"That's everyone's with a brain favourite movie, pick another" – she said while rolling her eyes.

"But that's the best movie of all time!" – he liked this situation, he had to be honest about it. She wanted to get to know him better, even if she dodged his questions and mocked his answers.

"And that makes it ineligible to be your favourite movie, it's fact that it's everyone's favourite movie. Pick another!" –

"Are you going to answer any of my questions, ever?" – even if he liked the fact that she was talking to him, he wanted to know about her. He was just well, he was still nervous around her, his heart was beating as if he had run a marathon and he had goose bumps all over his body.

"nope, favourite movie?" – She kept insisting. He thought about it, he could really go, lie and try to play cool guy but it wouldn't work. She was like a walking lie detector. (he tried before and she caught it immediately).

He sighted – "A tie between Oldboy, the original not the remake and Battle Royale" – he answered. She looked at him thoughtfully and placed a finger under her chin and tabbed it there a few times.

"Tarantino's favourite, interesting choice and Oldboy is another interesting choice. So your favourite movies are about revenge and killing sprees, you're a Manson groupie and Ringo fan. I may say we have a future Jack The Ripper in here?" – she used an amused tone, she was teasing him. Did she want to torture him?

Gendry couldn't really understand what was going on here, she kept asking him question after question until he got up and started second coating the car.

"It'll be ready to be picked up on Thursday, if you feel like picking it up earlier" – he said as soon as he finished.

"No, we don't have a place to keep it before Friday" – he was curious who was that car for, every Stark was very keen on it. But, he didn't want to ask, he didn't want to be seen as nosy on their family business. He didn't want to ruin whatever this was, she was talking to him at least and Jon was his friend, he didn't want to ruin it.

"You can ask, you know? I know you want to" – she said while circling the car, he was leaning against a wall.

"It's none of my business. I'm just the repairing guy" – he really didn't want to pry on it. He better be cautious.

"Stupid bull" – she laughed – "It's getting late, should be getting back home. See you" – and she left. She usually did that, just left without waiting for him to say goodbye even.

Next day when he got out of classes he was incredibly surprised to find her in the same spot Jon was waiting for him a few weeks back. She was leaning against his bike, the difference was that since she was so tiny it made the bike look even bigger. She had her arms crossed while waiting, he was still a few feet away when she looked up and their eyes locked.

He wasn't ready for it, each time their eyes locked he had the exact same feeling he had at the bar. The world got dark and into slow motion for a moment before coming back lourder and brighter than it used to be.

"Nice ride" – she said when he got closes enough, he just stopped and looked at her. She really did look a lot like Jon, their pale skin and dark hair. The difference was that she had straight hair that only curved on the ends slightly while her brother had curly black hair he kept long. The biggest difference was that Jon looked like a creeper waiting for someone while Arya looked incredibly sexy leaning on his bike while wearing an oversized blue hoodie and skinny jeans. The wind messing her hair also made her look hotter in his eyes.

"Thanks. What are you doing here?" – he was incredibly nervous, shifting back and forth while holding his backpack on one hand and his helmet on the other.

"Waiting for you" – what? Gendry could swear he almost dropped his stuff in surprise at that answer. That was a shocker, why would she be waiting for him?

"Uhmm, what? Why?" – he advanced a step forward.

"Because I need a ride" – she uncrossed her arms and leaned on them on his bike. She was looking at him directly in the eyes. –

"A ride?" –

"Yes" –

"Why? –

"Shouldn't you be asking 'where' instead of 'why'? –

"are you ever going to answer one of my questions? –

"Are you going to give me a ride or not?" – she laughed a bit when she spoke. And that's when he noticed he had been getting closer each time, he was just a few inches away from her. When had he walked that close? It was like a moth to the flame. She was like a magnet and him a metal. There was a pull a force he couldn't explain.

"Where do you want to go?" - he still had to finish the car, but spending time with her and trying to get to know her. There was no way in hell he would pass out that opportunity.

"I guess we are going to the same place" – he was looking at her mouth when she spoke, it just caught his attention.

"The car shop?" – he was entranced looking at her lips, he was leaning forwards to her. They were standing so close.

"yup" – the emphasis she did on the "p" me her lips even more attractive.

"You'll have to wear my helmet, m'lady" – he didn't have an extra one, he was willing to sacrifice his own safety for her. He was leaning in, even closer and closer

"Do not call me m'lady" – she pouted, it was just so… attractive. He couldn't get his eyes of her lips.

"As my lady commands" – he wanted to tease her more, watch her pout again. He was so entranced watching her mouth that he didn't see her shift in her place and then she shoved him.

"that was unlady like" – he teased her more, he liked her reaction. But he didn't actually expect to be shoved with enough force that he ended up on the ground and she also used something to push him because it hit chest.

"Fuck off, just give me a ride" – she was angry now. Gendry got up and noticed that the thing she used to push him was a motorbike helmet. Where did she got one? When he got up from the ground she was still there, looking all angry and cute with a helmet on her hands. He really was feeling hot right now, when she touched him to push him he felt electricity, a reaaaally pleasurable shock wave.

"Where did that fucking thing come from?!" –

"It's Jon's old helmet" –

"How did you know I ride a bike? You never asked me – she shrugged her shoulders

"I asked to one of the guys at the shop who owned the bike parked outside" – that made a lot of sense.

"And why do you want me to give you a ride?" – how did she know where to find him?

"my stupid brother ditched me here because his soulmate called him" – Jon's plan? That guy was just… something. Now the moment before was lost, she was still pissed and looking cute, but he knew better to get that close as before. Even if the pull was still there – "oh"- was all he could answer.

"So are you going to give me a fucking ride or not?" – she was glaring at him.

"Yes, hop on. You carry my bag, that'll be your fair for the ride" – he teased her, she punched him and that electricity was back. This was going to be the hardest ride of his life, he just hoped not to kill them both.

When she hoped on they were so close, she snaked her arms around his torso and it all was almost too much for him. It felt as if bolts of electricity passed through him every time they touched, his heart was beating faster and he felt hot. There a tingling where her arms where located.

Half way there everything got even worst because she pressed herself harder against him when he speed up a little bit. He prayed to every god, old and new, to not crash because he was nervous and more…

They lived enough to arrive safe to car shop, she hoped of his bike almost immediately while he took his time to breathe, without looking desperate.

"That was quite a ride, huh" – she said gleefuly and got inside. Gendry took a deep breath and got inside but first he went to the lockers to get his stuff, he changed clothing and went to back where he found her sitting in on his work table like yesterday.

"Why do you have burn marks on your hands?" – he was surprised at her question. He walked towards the car, he still needed to adjust certain things and last details.

"You never answer any of my questions, I won't answer any more of yours until you do" – he stood his ground!

"Fineeee. I'll answer your questions but burn marks first" – she was stubborn, he could tell now. That made her interesting in his eyes.

"I got them when I started learning metalworking, hobby of mine" – Mott tought him that and to fix cars since he was a kid.

"Metalworking? What you do?" – she was looking at him with curiosity, he felt proud.

"What I feel like doing, jewellery, figures sometimes bigger stuff" –

"That's cool" – his chest inflated with pride, he was smiling and thankful the car was covering his face.

"How old are you?" – he finally asked her one question.

"18" – he choked, she was barely legal. He knew she was young but he didn't imagine her to be that young.

"Where do you study?" – did she still go to high school? Please let her not be a high schooler. Although if he thought about it, today they met around 11am and it was a school day. Yesterday she was here around 9, again on a school day. That meant she was not in high school, did she go to university also?

"I finished high school in Braavos, got into an special program there, and I'm starting university here next semester." – Braavos? That was across the narrow sea. She lived there? – "What's your name?" – she asked him. That caught him off guard, did she not know his name? Well, he never told her… but she took a ride from a complete stranger…?

Right, they were complete strangers to each other… even if they were matched. He still wasn't sure she knew he knew she knew that they were soulmates.

"Gendry" – he answered.

"I already know that idiot. Your full name is what I'm asking" – oh, she did know his name then…

"Gendry Waters"

"Then why does your name tag says Gendry B.?" – oh right, Mott made their uniforms with names on them so customers would always know who's working on what car.

"It stands for my father's last name, but I don't use it. I've change it to my mom's maiden name but she didn't let me before passing away and then I guess I never did." – he answered her honestly.

"So "Gendry Waters' is like your real name. Your fake name would be?" – guess he just had to say it.

"Baratheon" – she choked and he felt embarrassed, he was a bastard after all.

"That means your dad is…" – she was curious. Well, not every day you meet Robert Baratheon's bastard.

"Robert Baratheon" –

"Oh… he's a friend of my father, you know? I know him" – that was a shocker.

"Then that makes one of us. I'm not even sure if he knows I exist or just some of his assistants keeps tracks of his bastards" - he spat the last word. Would she think different of him because of his origin? He wouldn't be surprised.

"You shouldn't be ashamed, you know?" – he stopped working – "Jon, you know him, he also feels ashamed of not being a legitimate child but it's just stupid. It's not his fault my aunt and a married man fell in love and had him before his divorce was finalised as it's not your fault your dad is just an irresponsible drunk" – Gendry laughed because of how she referred to his father, his chest felt warm and his heart was beating hard. Nobody had ever told him it was not his fault, only his mom.

"I've met his brothers, when I was little. A few more times I've seen them after. Stannis came to my mum's funeral" – he told her trying to divert the topic

"Stannis and Renly, together? That must've been quite a scene. Renly, looks a lot like you now that I think about it" – she laughed – "I hope you don't have anything _more_ in common with him other tan looks".

"What's that supposed to mean?" – he was lost and she found something amusing in what she had just said – "One day I'll tell you, when you see it".

He sighted, - "wait, you said Jon… I thought he was your brother" –

"We're actually cousins, my aunt died during childbirth and his father passed away before he was even born. My parents raised him with us" – well, Jon mentioned being a bastard like him when he told him who his father was.

"Favourite Beatle? Favourite song from them? Favourite movie? Favourite fruit? Favourite Friends character? – he asked her all of a sudden, it was enough of hard topics from now, she smiled a bit.

"Ringo Starr; Norwegian Wood; Only lovers left alive; Apples and I love lemony things, don't know if that counts too; Phoebe" – she answered almost all of the questions she made him yesterday. Now he was awestruck, she had really interesting tastes in music and movies and a few in common with him.

They spent talking most of the times, he even finished working on the car while at it. They just talked about anything and everything. She told him about her time there, why she went and all. He told her about his work, university. They both were surprised when they discovered both were friends with HotPie, the owner of the best pye shop in town and also had Lommy as a friend in common.

When her cellphone rang she told him her sister had come to pick her up and she left, she still had the stupid habit of not waiting for him to say goodbye.

Gendry wondered if the fact that he felt at ease talking to her was due to just her, the soulmate bond shit or both. He just wanted to get to know her better and get closer to her and also ravish her… he shook his head at that thought while going to the back and work on some metal piece he had in mind now.

* * *

 **Author's note**

Fav, follow, review if you like.


	5. Chapter 5

**Dual**

Never in his life had he fantasized about a woman, he never had had a type of girl before and he always thought he was a loner, soulmateless. He felt whole before and now there was something missing. He felt a void, incomplete and every time that feeling was stronger.

Now Arya was a constant in his dreams, in every situation possible, mostly naughty dreams but still. She was always there. It was almost as if he ached for her to be near, even if her presence didn't calm him because it made him anxious and the need for her was just too strong. And when he was not dreaming of her he was dreaming of wolves.

This whole weekend had been hell. IT all started on Friday when she didn't show up to pick up the car, only Jon and his brothers came. He met Bran and Rickon, who thought that he was awesome for fixing the car. Robb tried to pay him even more, but in the end he refused the last payment check. If the parts were already paid for there was no way in hell he would accept payment for his man hour work. Robb couldn't understand his refusal, Jon did though. Little Rickon was clueless about everything apparently, but called him "Arya's friend" which make him blush. The other brother, Bran, looked at him with a certain look, those looks that imply they know something you don't. The Starks were a weird kind of family.

Now, Monday. Today was Mott's spirit day where the shop was closed so he had a day off, no classes and no work but he was still going over to the shop to do something, take the edge, anger, everything off. Hammering some metal would do the trick. Fuck, did she really wanted to get to know him at all? Or was she just there, every day, checking how he built the car? Nothing more? He hated her, not that he could do it in reality but he wanted to hate her so bad.

The feelings were so overwhelming that he just went to the back of the shop, put on the protection gear since he was already in his working outfit, and started working. Metal heating, hammering and shaping. The way he worked was by instinct, starting something and then shape it and according to how it was coming out he would continue. Lately he had been working on smaller object, jewellery and that sort of stuff, but today it was more of a big sculpture kind of day so there he was, hammering away and shaping metal. Time passed and he put all his frustration on his work, apparently he was making a wolf head. Everything he ended up doing lately had been wolves, he couldn't understand why everything had to do with wolves. He imagined grey wolves, grey fur and grey eyes on the snow and it showed on his work.

After putting it all in his work he was feeling much better, his muscles were tired from hammering but he was feeling much more relieved. The heat and exhaustion was too much now, even if the day was cold his body was burning and at some point during his work he took his apron and shirt off throwing it away without looking where it landed. Sweat, soil, dirt was covering his body and he probably smelled as if he had been inside a fire and it was great.

His heart was racing now a bit harder for the activity he just had done but maybe he had lost himself in getting everything out that he overworked himself a little and that was why he was so agitated as if he had just run a marathon. He was taking metal sanding paper for polishing certain details of what he was working, first wetting a small cloth for the metal dust not jump everywhere.

As soon as the wolf head bored him he went on to polish what he had been working the other day, a small figure that could be worked as a necklace or keychain. It was a small wolf head, why he did it he had no idea. He created a cast for it, after making the clay figure. Then he melted silver, metal he hardly used for considering it too fancy and expensive, but this wolf deserved to be shiny and pretty for It was a delicate work. It reminded him of Griever from that old Final Fantasy game he used to play when he was younger but instead of being a lion it was a wolf.

His feet started guiding him towards his work table while he was focused on polishing the little wolf. He leaned against it, using it as support without sitting on it. Maybe if he polished the wolf enough to be blinding the wolves would get out of his head.

"Earth to bullhead?" –

"Lord of light!" – he screamed at top of his lungs and almost fell down. Next to him, sitting on his work table was the cause of all his nightmares and the cause of the frighten of his life. A hand of him was on his chest trying, in some way, to calm his heart. She almost gave him a heart attack.

Arya Stark was on his workshop laughing at him, again. How long? When? How? Fuck, no wonder he was so agitated the whole time, she was there! He felt her there even without acknowledging her presence. This soul bond was insane!

"Your Face! Priceless!" - And there she was, laughing so hard with tears on her eyes. He hated her, not really, but he wanted to hate her even more.

"You… you shouldn't do that!" – he yelled at her, his heart was still in cardiac arrest and he was sure she took at least 10 years of his life – "you shouldn't go ninja on people when they are working with metal!"

"You are such a baby! It's not like you were still in Thor mode! – laughter was still coming from her. How long had she been there!?

"You scared the crap out of me!" – breathe in, breathe out. He was trying to calm himself, not that it was possible because having her near meant his heart went on crazy mode.

"You're such a baby. I thought you knew I was here since you called my name a while ago…" – what the fuck did she just said? No, he didn't?

"No, I did not!" –

"Yes, you did! While you were hammering you said my name more than once" – she was smiling and telling the truth, he knew she was telling the truth. Crap, he was thinking about her, he had the habit of talking out loud when he was in deep thought. "So, you were thinking about me, huh?" – he glowered.

"No, I just remembered an ungrateful girl I worked for!" – she laughed of his misery, again.

"Liar. So what were you working on?" – and now he was feeling self-conscious, his big sculpture was hidden behind a welder curtain and the small wolf piece was quickly hidden in his pocket.

"something, it's not finished" –

"Then, show me!" – she said all happy and filled with curiosity, so much that he almost complied but it wasn't finished and she'd probably laugh at his work.

"It's not finished; no one can see it!" – hopefully his no non sense voice worked on her, he prayed for it to work. Her eyes were on him for a few minutes before sighting a muting a "fine" that implied her surrender. – "What brings you here?" – he dared to ask her. She really had no business here, the work he was hired to do was already over and they were not friends.

"I was bored" – so he was entertainment for her? That didn't make sense and he didn't like it – "And I came here to thank you" –

"Thank me? For what?" – surprised was all over his face probably. Now he was fidgeting in his place, a hand ruffling his hair making it messier than usual and she was looking him straight in the eye. Her eyes were so deep it burnt.

"For fixing the car, stupid bullhead" – right, he worked her on the car he was an employee – "I know you put a lot of work into it because of the deadline, I know you did a lot of custom work. Besides, you were probably really busy with your midterms too, but you still accepted the job. So, I wanted to thank you" – Saying he did not expect that was an understatement, he could feel the heat running through his face and neck.

"You shouldn't thank me, it was my job" – she sighted and anger was starting to come from her.

"You sure are a bull head boy, just say 'you're welcome' when someone thanks you from the heart, idiot" – he didn't understand what angered her, he didn't want her to be angry at him.

"You're welcome m'lady!" – he bowed – "This humble servant was just doing his job m'lady" – she hit him with something, it didn't hurt but she wasn't mad anymore, she let out a chuckle that confirmed it while muttering "idiot". He laughed it too.

She was still looking at him, he noticed. Her drifted from his face towards his body, she looked at his torso. Right, he was still shirtless and dirty, she was probably disgusted for a low life to bare his chest at her. While looking for his dirty t-shirt to put back on, she started asking him questions about his hobby and work.

They lost track of time, just talking again he told her about his work and how he liked it, about university. She told him about her fencing training, he was really surprised to find out she was nationally ranked. He started noticing things about her, how happy she sounded when she talked about her family, especially when she talked about her dad or Jon. He noticed her nose did something really cute when she laughed and she tended to cover her face when she laughed too much.

"It's raining" – she suddenly said while looking outside the window– "fuck, I forgot about the storm!" –

"What storm?!" – he heard no news about a storm…

"It was on the radio! A storm was coming over, heavy rain, thunder, winds and maybe power cuts if it gets bad! It's starting, I forgot I was supposed to go home early!" – she was worried now.

"I can take you home" –

"If it starts pouring harder it'll be dangerous to go all the way north, you won't even get time to change your clothes" – They started walking to the shop's entrance, yes rain was starting. He had ridden in worse, but if the dark sky was an omen it meant it was going to get worse.

"If it rains harder here it'll be freezing down the shop. I can take you home, seriously it'll be no problem. Call and tell you're on your way" – she started searching her pockets and a curse escaped her lips.

"Crap, I forgot my phone" – while trying to dry and clean himself with a towel he handed her his own phone, she dialled someone that didn't pick up.

"It's better we go now" – he said while handling her his helmet and taking one from the shop. He closed everything really fast and went towards his bike.

They hoped on his bike, he noticed she never drove to the shop all the times she had been there and usually someone came to pick her up. Rain started pouring harder and the cold was creeping through his joints. He had handed her his jacker before so she was protected, there was no way he could get to the Stark manor in this rain. Roads were too slippery now, it'd be dangerous. He detoured, they had to get coverage soon, he knew what he had to do but he didn't like it.

"We won't make it to your house, let's go to mine and wait till the rain slows down" – he yelled, he felt her nodding against his back and her arms gripped harder against him. Again, there was that electric shock where they touched. When they arrived to his apartment he parked on the underground basement. As soon as the motor turned off they jumped of the bike, soaked drenched. He was shivering, but he didn't care because he needed her to get warm.

As soon as they entered his flat he guided her straight to the shower, which was in his bedroom, handed her clean towels and told her she would find dry clothes and he left. He turned on the tv while preparing coffee. He would have never imagined that one day Arya Stark, his soulmate, would be in his house using his shower. The pull towards her was still there, but now there was also something else and he could sense it.

"Where do I put my wet clothes?" –

She snapped him out of his thoughts. She looked adorable in his eyes wearing one of his shirts, that ended above her knees. It looked massive on her, he gave up the idea of giving her some pants because there was no way one his would fit her because she was so tiny so he handed her a pair shorts one of his sisters left one time they crashed at his place. He tried his best not to look at her for he liked the idea of her wearing something that belonged to him way too much. He liked it a lot, he noted.

He took her clothes and put them on to wash and then dry before going to the shower. As soon as he came out he could hear her talking on the phone.

"Yes, I'll be fine" –

"Shut up, idiot!" –

"I'll be there once the rain calms down" –

"Don't forget to feed the wolves. Well, tell Rickon to feed Shaggydog if you're so scared of him, idiot. Right, bye. Shut up, asshole!" – she hanged up. He cleared his throat to make his presence known hoping she didn't find it annoying he had been listening to her conversation.

"It's okay I used the phone, right?" – she asked him, he went to pour coffe for both of them.

"Yeah, it's fine. Your family must be worried" – he handed her a cup and sat on the couch to watch tv, she sat next to him.

"That was Theon, you know him, he's babysitting my little brothers. My parents are at Kings Landing on business with Robb and Jon ran away to Casterly Rock or some other place – she sipped her coffee then let out a little laugh after – Sansa also disappeared to stay with her soulmate so she called Theon to take care of the guys and keep me company, but since I'm here they are stuck with him" –

"That Theon guy is pretty close to you, right? I mean to your family to like… stay at your house and all" – what was that guy to them. The way they talked seemed close and it bothered him a bit.

"He lived with us for a while before going to uni with Robb, you can say we're related" – why was it so easy to talk to her sometimes? Sitting next to each other, talking and drinking coffee it felt so intimate in some point.

"You have sisters, right?" – that took him off guard.

"How did you know?" –

"I saw a picture by your bedside and this are girl's shorts" – he felt stupid.

"Right, Mya, Bella and Barra are my sisters and Edric is my brother, all on daddy dearest's side" –

And once again they started talking and time passed by, they got hungry and he put out some Chinese he had in the fridge. They sat back on the couch and talked about their families. He told her embarrassing stories about him and she laughed but it didn't matter, he liked her laugh. At some point wine he had left from his sister's birthday reunion was been served on her suggestion.

"you can't be serious! You really kicked a wasp's nest towards your brother?!" – she laughed.

"Yep, he wanted to see if the hot nurse was his soulmate. Total disaster and an enormous hospital bill was sent to daddy!" – she refilled his glass. Stories about their siblings kept flowing.

"Jon was riding his bike when he saw a redhead who happened to be his soulmate, he passed out of impression and crashed his bike. Gritt was the one who called the ambulance. He broke a rib, his left arm and got a scar on his face. And they said hello and banged on the hospital bed which was actually how he ended up breaking the second rib" – he laughed really hard, Jon only told him about passing out not that it had something to do with his bike accident.

"Did you know HotPie entered a hot dog eating contest when he saw Willow?" – she moved her head to say she didn't know – "He saw her at a carnival about a year ago, but then he couldn't find her so his great plan was to enter the contest because if he was on the podium he could get a higher view of the fair. 82 hot dogs later, he won, found her ran to her and then he had to go and throw up. It was up to me and Lommy to get her name and number for him to call her once he got out from the bathroom." – she was laughing so hard. Hearing her laugh, it stirred something in him. He was leaning closer, they were pretty much curled together on the couch.

"When she was 17, Queen Sansa was being harassed by some creepy guy on one of your dad's company Christmas parties. Out of nowhere, this gigantic dude appears and beats the crap out of Bolton" – Gendry noted she had the habit of talking using her hands, it was really cute – "Once the guy finishes beating the guy and security takes Bolton away, The Hound says in the most non-threatening way 'are you alright, pretty bird?' When she gets a good glimpse at Sandor's face she cried. But like crieeeeed, sobbing Kim Kardashian face style in the middle of a business party and Robb had to take her out of there. Forward a month later, Bolton was still full on stalker mode so my dad decided to hire Sansa a body guard before she leaves to uni in Kings Landing and guess who was hired? –

"No way! your dad didn't look at his picture in the applicant forms of anything?" – how were the odds?

"Apparently the guy had such an amazing c.v he didn't need a picture. He had been bodyguard for really big important people, ex-marine and so on. For months Sansa haaaaated the guy, but I mean hated him" –

"Can you blame her? The one time I met him, the guy looked as if he was constipated the whole time!" –

"The guy's pretty cool actually. But then, all of a sudden Sansa calls me and tells me his life story, she's sobbing again and feeling bad for being such a bitch to him. So I told her to apologize and invite him for a treat, to make it up, you know. They ended up being a couple, totally head over heels for each other" –

They kept drinking and telling stories. He told her about Mya and her soulmate. Outside the sky was falling apart with rain and it was really late now. They had been talking for hours.

"I met Mya once" – she said while holding her glass, not looking at him – "At the bar, weeks ago. I had just arrived from Braavos" – he gulped down his glass and poured himself another one, he could feel the alcohol in his system now. She had that alcohol blush too, maybe that's why she was speaking about _that_ topic – "You were there" – she looked at him in the eye when she said that.

What could he say now? Confess and tell her that he was her soulmate? Maybe coming clean could solve things, they didn't have to become a couple. They could continue as they were now, being friends. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"I saw you that day, you… ran away" – he cursed mentally, he didn't want to say It that way. She was quiet now, not looking at him. The power went out in that moment

"It's late, we should sleep now" – she didn't want to talk about it and… he wasn't in the right mind to ask. Maybe she was going to tell him that she hated him.

"You can have my bed; I'll sleep on the couch" – she got up from her spot and kept quiet until he felt a tug on his arm.

"No, don't be stubborn! It'll be freezing in a while and…" – He stood up, she was guiding him towards his bedroom. It felt so right her being in his house.

"And…?" – he just left himself being dragged. Really, it wasn't right to sleep with her, he wasn't sure he would control himself because the pull to be closer to her was now stronger than ever. The alcohol made it harder for him to resist her and it made him feel her presence more intensely.

"I can't handle thunder storms alone!" – she lied about it, he sensed it. Besides, she had been doing fine so far in the thunder storm.

"fine, let's go to bed" – he complied. He just prayed to the gods to be able to survive this night.

* * *

 **Author's note.**

Fav, follow, rev if you like.


	6. Chapter 6

Dual

Almost two weeks had passed and Gendry had heard no word of Arya. Once they went to bed during the storm he was instantly out once his head touched the pillow, he barely remembers getting to bed. That was the most comfortable sleep he had had ever. Next morning, he woke up alone, he found a freshly made breakfast and a note that said:

" _Thanks for letting me stay._

 _See you around, bullhead._

 _PD: I'm keeping your shirt."_

Arya Stark had run away, again. Without saying goodbye, again. He hated her annoying habit of running away and not saying goodbye before taking off for who knows how long. Gendry knew he shouldn't be mad at her because they were nothing, other than soulmates, she had no obligation to call him or to even come to see him. He had hoped to be considered at least a friend by now, but apparently that was not the case. They were only acquaintances and that was it.

Right now he was moping around at the shop. All week he had vented his frustration working overtime and doing every piece of assignment he had at uni. He crafted at least five other wolf pieces and he even applied at an internship in one of his uncle Stannis corporations to get his mind of it and if he got it he would be busy during winter break, which was around the corner.

Two days ago Jon showed up with a car, a red 2014 Jeep Wrangler to be painted black because apparently it was going to be sold o given away and it belonged to Arya's older sister. Jon laughed at his sister's obsession with red cars, this one looked horrible in red. Jon still hanged around him on university, but he was too pissed at Arya to ask about her and the guy didn't even mention her nor said something about the fact that she spend a night at his place which Gendry felt grateful. The only comment Jon did about his little sister was the fact that he hadn't seen much of his siblings in the last few days for he had been studying like a maniac.

He painted the car the same day, it was too horrible in red to be kept that day. He got noticed that it was going to be delivered on Saturday, yeah delivered to Arya's house. He was not going to do it; Mott would have to ask one of do guys to do it because he wasn't getting near that place.

This week had been hell, he had felt more alone than ever and it didn't make sense! The void, loneliness crept under his skin like that thing he discovered was missing in him ever since he saw Arya for the first time was even stronger now.

He was planning on going home in a while, just stayed at the shop longer because his flat just didn't felt right ever since she spend the night there. He was the only one at the shop and he had to close up. He could go out but he didn't feel like it, Mya invited him to go bar hoping but he didn't feel like third wheeling even though Thoros was a pretty cool lad.

Just as he was closing the shop his phone rang, an unknown number was calling. Even though he didn't feel like talking to anything belonging to the human kind he picked up because it could always be an emergency.

"Hello" –

"Bullhead" –

Gendry could swear he almost threw his phone to the other side of the shop in shock but his body was frozed. Arya was calling him. How in seven hells did she got his number?

"Arya?" –

"No, idiot. It's Melissandre the witch. Of course it's me" –

And she was insulting him as per usual, he could hate her so much but he felt so happy at hearing her voice, fact he hated. Disgusting body reactions.

"I'm arriving to Winterfell in two hours, pick me up!" –

"Wait, what?" – she was calling him to pick her up? From where? She had been away? He needed to sit down.

"You heard me! Pick me up from the airport!" –

"I… I don't have my bike today" – he used the bus today, he was too upset to drive.

"Your bike is no use today, anyways! I have my bags with me! Use my car!" –

"Your car?" – He was lost. Arya was demanding him to pick her up and to use her car, car he did not know she owned. Where was he going to pick her car? From her house? Why didn't she call her family to pick her up?

"Yes, stupid bull! The Jeep Jon left at your shop to be painted is mine now. So come and pick me up from the airport, I'm at a stop in the Riverlands. And I have to turn off my phone. Don't even think of standing me up!" – and the other line went dead.

For a moment he wondered what could happen if he didn't show up, she could get mad. But, why was she asking him to pick her up? Was anyone in her family available? He sighted, snorted, moved around in a tantrum kind of manner before getting inside the car.

Almost two hours later, Gendry was cursing and arriving to the airport. The way to the airport was usually about an hour long if the highway was clear, which it was. But he got the unluck of getting stuck in the traffic on the city because it was Friday night and everyone was going out, apparently. Stupid world, stupid cars and stupid Arya, well she was not stupid. Traffic was always a pain in the ass and that's why he preferred using a motorcycle instead of cars, even though this Jeep was pretty dope in his opinion. A Jeep Wrangler suited Arya, he couldn't imagine her in a small sports car, she was more of an adventurous type of car.

He waited where people are supposed to wait at the airport to pick up their families and his heart did a flip flop when she appeared dragging an enormous bag, a backpacker style bag that was almost as big as she and a smaller on her arms. He went into dumb guy mode when she smiled at the sight of him. She looked tired, her hair was a mess, she was wearing the tee she stole from him, cargo pants and her usual chucks. She was the most beautiful thing he had seen in days.

As soon as she set her grey eyes on him, she smiled and he fidgeted in his place. Was she really happy to see him?

"Bullhead, made it!" – surprise was in her voice. He cursed, she probably assumed he wasn't going to comply to her request, but here he was! Being an idiot. She threw him one of her bags while asking where did he park the car. In the end he carried all of her belongings because he had manners..

"Well, my lady here are your keys for your shiny ride. I'm leaving!" - As soon as he put the bags on her car he handed her the keys. He was walking away from the car when something hit his head.

"ouch! What the fuck was that for?!" –

"You are not fucking leaving! You have to drive!" – she had thrown the keys at his head, and he cursed while lifting them up.

"I'm not your fucking driver" – he was debating in throwing the keys back at her or leaving.

"But, I don't have a license! I failed the exam…" – she suddenly pouted and crossed her arms looking like a small brat in a tantrum. All he could do was sight before heading back to her jeep opening the door for her, walking around and getting on the driver's seat.

"You owe me" – was all he could say He wasn't even looking at her but he could see her grin, she had gotten her way.

"Where to, m'lady? Her Winterfell castle, I assume?" – he asked as soon as they hit the highway.

"They don't expect me until the day after the morrow. Stop with the m'lady bullshit" – if she didn't want to go home she would find a way to not go, he knew her that much already.

"Then where do I drop you off?" –

"Your place, obviously" – she said in as it was the most obvious, casual and normal thing in the universe.

"What the fuck?!" – his voice was really loud

"Yep. Can't go home because it's war zone" -

"Then go to any of your friend's house" – No, no he did not want her in his house again, he was terrified of not being able to resist blurting out that he was her soulmate.

"You're pretty much my only friend here in Winterfell" – that did it.

"I'm sure you have plenty of friends, I'm just the only one that complies" – he was now trying not to smile because she considered him her friend. Fact that was part of his emo mode this whole week, her not considering him her friend.

"Yep, but I just hang around my sibling's friends. Since I didn't go to high school here I don't actually know many people. But I know you and we're friends, right?" –

And his heart was beating really hard and he wanted to smile so hard. Arya just talked so casually about being friends and he just felt so stupid about being a 24 years old guy excited because a teen considered him a friend. He was just pathetic; this whole soulmate thing had reduced him to the most pathetic human being in the whole world.

The way back to his place didn't take long and they didn't talk much, they went along in silence but it was comfortable silence. As soon as they arrived she jumped on his couch and he carried her bags all the way to his place.

"Your place is cozy" –

"Yeah, don't get used to it" – he said in a joking tone of voice and she laughed. He sat next to her after taking a beer from the fridge.

"So, why are you taking shelter on my house?" – he was curious, but it was the logical type of curiosity: a girl comes from another country and asks a stranger to crash at his house.

She huffed – "My house it's war zone. I got into a fight with Sansa and my mum about dresses and girly stuff. Then Syrio invited me to a charity exhibition back in Braavos and I was just so tired of being home that I took off without telling no one and just stayed in the free cities. I called Jon and dad once I arrived but they're mad too" – that gave sense for Jon not bringing the Arya topic up.

"You just took off to another continent?" – she had a horrible habit of running away.

"Yes, I know. Not very mature, but I was pissed off at everyone when Syrio called. When I'm angry I don't think much" –

"Wait, do you even think?" -

"Shut up, asshole" – she punched his arm at that joke. They were again curled up on his couch, he didn't even noticed how she just got closer to him.

"Besides, they will have cooled off by Sunday. I know them, and I got them gifts this time. Wait, I got something for you!" – She jumped from the couch and ran towards one of her bags and came back holding a lot of stuff.

"Look! This is for you! I thought you'll find it funny!" – she threw him a bright yellow t-shirt that said "hunting season" and had a stag crossed out stamped on it… what the hell?

"Amm, thanks" – he tried his most honest voice.

"You don't like it" – she was disappointed

"No! I like it! I just… don't get it…" – he scratched the side of his face.

"Robert's family symbol and the the symbol of all of his companies is a stag, Baratheons are known as stags" – she was kindly explaining while sitting back next to him. Now he got the meaning of it, he laughed. Now he could honestly thank it, it was funny because it rejected his father.

"See, knew you'll like it!" – she smiled and handed him a box of chocolate treats from Braavos, and a wooden bull statue.

"Even though you're a stag by blood, you look more like a bull besides been so stubborn. So I saw it and got it for you. Kind of got the habit of getting dumb things for people I know" –

"Really? What has been the dumbest thing you have gotten someone?" –

"Let's see. I once got Bran a book in a valerian dialogue, told him it was about something really deep and serious. He spent a lot of time learning the dialogue to find out it was a book about carving soap. I once got Robb a whip, because he's whipped by Jeyne. I got Sansa a dvd of The Beauty and the Beast, Rickon once got really spicy candy, Jon got a bleaching hair kit and I once got Theon moonshine that tasted like pee" – she was smiling while retrieving those memories, her head was resting on his arms which made his heart beat faster.

Now that he thinks about it, the void and emptiness that consumed him these past few days was almost gone, maybe it had something to do with her being physically away from.

"I could never work wood, never got the hang of it" – he said while looking at the wooden bull she gave him. It was small but incredibly detailed, probably a very precise knife work.

"You only work with metal?" –

"Mostly, also clay and plaster" – he was playing with the statue on his hands.

"Do you paint or draw too?" –

"Sometimes, when I have time" –

"Is that what you're majoring, art?" –

"Nah, art doesn't pay the bills is more of a hobby thing. My major is mechanical engineering since I already like working on cars" –

"Are you planning on working on the shop for a long time?"

"Not forever, Stannis offered me a place to work on is company ever since I graduated high school, Renly too, but that's just too easy. I'm applying without them knowing. IF I don't get it, there are many places I can apply" – her hand was on top of his while playing with the bull. Them being curled up on the couch, her head resting on him and their hands touching it was so intimate.

"You hate It here, don't you?" – he suddenly asked her. She talked so happy about Braavos, she had run away before and he could just feel it somehow, she didn't like this place at some level.

"It's not that I hate it, It's just that I've been away far too long it no longer feels like home in some way. Besides, the world is just so big, why stay in one place? Don't you feel like traveling?" –

"Never thought much about it, guess I was always just focused on working first to help my mum pay the bills and then her meds, then I just focused on getting by myself" – he extended his arm to look at their hands together, she intertwined her fingers with his.

"How was she like? Your mum?" – her voiced lowered a bit. He never talked about his mother, it was just hard but talking to her felt casual, easy.

"She was kind and pretty; she was a waitress at a pub down Flea Bottom's. We used to live there. Her hair used to be blond and she wore it long before it fell out. Sometimes she sang at the pub, that was how Robert met her" – there was just an awful feeling on his throat, he always felt like crying when he talked about his mum.

"How old were you when she…" –

"I was 12 when she was diagnosed with leukemia, she passed away when I was 15" – he felt her grip tighten on his in a reassuring way. He cleared his throat to get it together – "I'm starving, aren't you hungry? You must be since you flew and had crappy airplane food" – the topic needed to change, the atmosphere felt gloomy now.

Her stomach made a noise answering his question, she blushed and covered her face with both hands, letting his hand free. He laughed softly and got up to check what he had on the fridge. The previous moment was too much, he was overwhelmed. Yes, they talked most of the time but it never felt as intimate as it did now, he was happy, contempt and smiling. He was making progress with her, she was letting her guards down and opening to him. Perhaps she was accepting him as his soulmate, perhaps she was really interested in him beyond the bond.

"There's nothing to eat unless we cook. Fancy some pizza?" – he asked her while closing the fridge, right he had forgotten he was supposed to do grocery shopping today.

"Yes! Order away!" – she exclaimed, she was surfing channels on the tv looking for something to watch. 20 minutes later they were eating pizza with beer and watching the worst movie of all time: The Room. It was just so bad they laughed away the whole time. When it finished another movie began, a drama and both drifted away.

Gendry woke up in the middle of the night, somehow he had lied on the couch at some point and Arya was cuddled against him, one of his arms around her. Her, in his arms, felt so right. For a moment he felt whole, the void was completely gone. Is that how he was supposed to feel? Was it right? He wanted her, it was more than physical and he understood it now, but she was a lady, a highborn and he was just a bastard. Arya was from a rich family, she deserved someone better than him to be her soulmate. But he could be worthy of her if he made a name for himself. For now, it was just enough being her friend.

He carried her to his bed, she was a heavy sleeper apparently. He tugged her in and kissed her forehead before saying goodnight. The couch was going to be his bed for the night. He was woken up by someone jumping on him.

"Wake up! You have to teach me how to drive!" –

"What?" – he sat down rubbing his eyes – "What time is it?"

"8am, sleepyhead" – she laughed.

"You said you didn't have a license, not that you didn't know how to drive" – he covered a yawn with his hand.

"Now you know, will you help me?!" –

He did help her and taught her how to drive, she learned pretty fast. They did grocery shopping together and they went to the godswoods to pass time until it got dark. On Sunday he dropped her off at the entrance of her mansion, where she drove her big car by herself and he was going to walk home.

"Hey, wait" – she called him while he was going away, he turned around to face her.

"Do you have a suit?" –

"Yes… why?" –

"Nothing, I'll see you around" – and she drove away.

He walked home feeling on cloud nine before reality hit him. Gendry felt alone, completely alone, for the first time, when he arrived home. He needed to tell her that she was it for him, she was his soulmate or he was going to get crazy. He only would need to figure out a way of telling her without her running away.

* * *

Author's note

Getting closer to the end, three chapters more and that's it.

Fav, follow or rev if you like. I really appreciate it when you do.


	7. Chapter 7

Dual

"So you are telling me that my sister has spent several nights at your place and you haven't done anything?" – was the question Jon asked that Saturday afternoon on the auto shop, after a while of having dropped by. It wasn't unusual for Jon to drop by the shop unannounced and it usually happens when Ygritte or she was away someplace. Now he was sitting on Arya's spot in his workplace.

"Is it really so hard to believe? – Gendry let out a sight after answering Jon and his quizzical lifted brow.

"A little. Theon owes me 50 bucks, though. He bets you'll be the second ones on giving us nephews. Robb still wins that bet, even dad bets on that one." – Jon laughed before sipping from his can of soda.

"Are you being serious?! You made a bet if I was shagging your sister?! And you bet if your brother is going to be a father soon? Gods, you are so weird…." – The Starks were the weirdest family he had ever met. How could a brother make a bet if her sister was shagging someone?! That was plain unbelievable.

"Hey! With how smitten you were when you saw her for the first time and Arry spending all the time at your place, I thought it was a possibility but I knew you were too scared to do something. Theon was the one that bet that neither of you could keep it in your pants!" – the guy just shrugged the question off, at least he didn't believe him to be a perv so bad. He did believe him to be a coward, though.

"Does… does your entire family know? I mean… does your family knows I'm your sister's mate?" – he asked while rolling under Jon's car. Apparently his friend found it really convenient to have a friend who happened to be a mechanic. But it was mostly because Jon was over attached to his car, fearing it would even get a small scratch.

"Theon pretty much figured it out after seeing you both on your matching night, can bet he told Robb about it. Sansa knows Arya found her soulmate but doesn't know who it is; Bran definitely knows because he fucking knows everything; Rickon knows because Theon 'blabbermouth' must have told him. Ned and Cate probably guess it, dad always knows what Arya is up to" – that was great, the whole family knew. What could they think of him?

"Well, guess everyone was going to find out eventually, right?" –

"So, you have finally accepted that you and my sister are soulmates and are going to stop running?" –

Of course, Gendry didn't answer. Jon was right, Arya wasn't the only one who ran after finding her soulmate, he had done the same by avoiding the issue and not seeking her out. He had called her a coward, but she did reach for him making her the brave one out of the two.

"And do you know where your soulmate is? Haven't seen her much these days, with finals and all" – Yes, both had finished finals the day before and on Saturday morning he felt like working on a few cars alone at the shop, he always enjoyed doing that to relieve some stress in a productive way.

"She's training, has a tournament coming up" – and for the first time he knew what Arya was doing, their relationship had taken a step forward. At first it started with texting and calls, she also dropped by unannounced on his place most of the time. Sometimes he picked her up from practice and they went to grab a bite, the cinema or just to hang around.

"Lockdown, again? Her coach is such a weirdo" – Apparently her coach, some guy called Jacquen was indeed a pretty weird guy whose way of training implied making his trainees practice for days on end before a tournament with no distractions or interruptions.

"Well, I can't say I'm not glad you guys are finally dating" –

"We're not dating; we are friends" – if they dated they would do much more than what they did. She would place her head on his shoulder or sometimes hold his hand, but that was pretty much it! And he was scared out of his life of touching her and not being able to keep control or keep It in his pants.

The one time he tried to do something, she ignored him for days.

He still remembered it, they had been playing videogames at his place a few weeks back. After he beat her up un a round. Arya, being the sore loser she was, tackled him and both fell to the ground. She was there, on top of him, and for a moment he lost control of it all, he acted in a way he always wanted. He placed one his hands on the small of her back and the other placed a strand of hair behind her ear. She was there, in front of him with her big grey eyes looking at him, his eyes drifted towards her lips, those that distracted him so much all the time. Gendry wasn't thinking at that moment; he was just acting. He lifted his head to get closer, to finally kiss her. He was just millimetres away when she jumped away from him, mumbled something about being late and left him there, on the floor.

He didn't hear anything about her for days, she ignored his calls and texts. He wasn't even sure what he was going to say if she answered but he called her a hundred times none the less. Two weeks later, she showed up at his place and acted as if nothing had happened. That was pretty much the last time he tried something, he just went along with whatever she wanted to do.

That time he learnt a lesson, if he forced her in any way she would run away. Something scared her that night, she was going to kiss him but something passed through her mind, the flickered that crossed her eyes were the indication of a fear she had. Now he needed to find a way to make her trust him hard enough to tell her what she feared.

"at least you're friends. It would've been horrible if you hated each other like Sansa and Sandor did. They avoided validating the soul bond so bad she almost went mad" –

"validating the bond?" – that caught his attention. Truth be told, he didn't know much about the soul bond. He rolled out from under the car and sat down, Jon threw him a can of soda, he caught in mid-air.

"Aye! Sam explained something like that to me at one point. He investigated a lot when he met Gilly" –

"What did he told you" – curiosity filled him in.

"Soul bonds are, apparently, one of the last traces of magic in the world. Two are connected by that bond, they are soulmates and they will find each other and feel the need to validate the bond. That means accepting it physically and mentally, accepting the other person is your soulmate." –

"What happens when you don't accept it?" – He knew there were loners, he thought he was one until he saw Arya at the bar all those months ago. He always met people who accepted their soulmates, never one that rejected it.

"It goes against nature. When you rejected it, you felt miserable right?" – he could only nod head in answer. Yes, the surprise made him hide from the world, he was about to go all Into The Wild and live in the forest. But all that time, some part still wasn't willing to accept it, he felt lost, incomplete and just plain sick – "When she was away in Braavos you felt worst, didn't you? Distance also takes a toll on the bonded ones" – he nodded in acceptance.

"I know from what I saw in Sansa. She had always hoped to be matched with a prince charming type of guy, so it was obviously a shock when she met Clegane. You saw his scar; it was done by his mentally ill brother when he was a toddler. But it was also his character what rocked her world. Soulmatching is a duality, they complement each other. The Hound is ruff, violent and doesn't take any shit while Sansa is sweet, bossy and conceited. He brought her feet to the ground, showed her another side of the world where there is beauty on scars and difficulty. He made her defend herself while always having her back. The first few months of him being her bodyguard she rejected him but he didn't run, he protected her from the stalker and told her out frankly how he felt about her all the time" –

"When did she accepted it?" –

"She told me it happened on his birthday while she lived in Kings Landing. She felt guilty for always being a bitch to him and tried to play nice for once, you know. So she baked a cake, can bet it was a lemon cake, showed on his doorstep to give it to him. It was the day she learnt about his scar. While Sans rejected her bond, she was depressed and miserable. It wasn't until Arya called her on her shit that she acted and accepted it. As soon as they did, you could see her change, the gloominess was gone, the sadness and anger were gone and she was filled with a happiness I had never seen on her. The guy changed too, because what she brought him into their match, Sansa showed him that there is good and beauty in this fucked up world that rejected him all along" - Jon cleared his throat as he finished his sister's story.

"Does your family accept the soulmates just like that?" – that was one of his fears, not only being rejected by Arya but being rejected by the whole family.

"They all know there's nothing you can do about it because if they had rejected Gritt, Sandor or Jeyne they would have harmed me, Sansa and Robb"

"But that's it, they just accept it because they have to?" –

"My parents are good people, Gendry; they try getting along with our soulmates. Cat loves Jeyne, she likes Gritt even though wishes my wild thing could control her language a little bit more. My parent has a great respect for The Hound, even named him head of security in the company" – could they accept him? Just a bastard?

"One time there was a problem with the soulbonds, my real mum and dad…" – Jon's voice got serious - "I know my father married, arranged marriage to benefit the families, you see. But when he met my mother, Lyanna, they couldn't help it. Big problem because she was going to marry her boyfriend. Never understood that, she was in love but it was not a soulbond, I guess. Anyways, people complained and they ran away and eloped. Then, a car accident happened and Rhaegar died, mum died short after of childbirth complications" – it was the first time Jon mentioned his birth parents.

"Ned sometimes says that my mum died also of complications of a broken heart for losing her soulmate. Can bet you can't imagine who was her boyfriend before meeting Rhaegar" – why would he know who was his birth mother's boyfriend. Jon probably knew he had no idea because he answered his own question – "Your father" –

"You're being serious?!" – he was shocked, he never imagined that his father was going to get married to Arya's aunt.

"Quite a coincidence, right? Your father and my aunt were something before she was matched, don't know what happened to him though. He married Cercei, but that's no bond, anyone can tell if you see them interact. Your dad has a weird fascination for Arya because she is the spitting image of Lyanna. Her full name is Arya Lyanna Stark. Never call her that though, she hates it" – If he could be more surprised, he would not believe it. Today Jon had dropped a lot of information hard to process.

"You accepted it immediately, the bond. According to Arya it only took a 'hello' from you to _act_ " – he tried to change the topic. Even though he could really appreciate the fact that Jon told him something so close to his heart, he could feel his friend's sadness about his parents.

"Yes, I did" – the guy chuckled – "Can't believe Arya told you that, damn that little wolf. In my case I saw Ygritte and it was as if I had known her all my life, even when she is from outside The Wall. Instant attraction, instant understanding" - Apparently Jon couldn't stop smiling when he talked about his soulmate – "We are banned from that clinic for indecent behaviour. Totally worth it, though".

"You're disgusting, no wonder you bet if I shagged your sister" – gendry chuckled – "But you never questioned it? You always wanted to be matched?" – Gendry asked him, looking down sipping from his can.

"So that's your big issue about it" – realisation hit Jon– "It was the fact itself of being matched and not who your match is" – Finally Jon caught a grip of his problem.

"I always thought I was a loner, like my mum" –

"But you're not so stop fucking whining about it! With how shocked you were when you saw Arry for the first time I thought I was going to have a serious conversation with her" – Jon lifted his eyebrows in a suggestive manner that made Gendry blush.

"She is afraid of something, not sure what. I just feel it" – he was still trying to get why she didn't want to talk about their match. She wanted to be close to him but not too close. And most important of all, he could feel it. He just knew sometimes what she was feeling deep inside, it was more clear when she was in a close distance. He sensed when she was happy, angry which was mostly at him, sad and a whole bunch of feelings que couldn't understand.

"You feel it?" – curiosity filled Jon

"Aye, I can tell what she feels most of the time, I just can sense it. Doesn't it happen to you, too?" – was he the only freak who could feel what his soulmate felt?

"That's deep shit, mate. I can tell pretty much what goes around Gritt's head most of the time like we can read each other's mind. But feelings? No, that's a whole different thing! – He never knew what was going through Arya's head, she always surprised him. Gendry ran his hand through his hair, soulbonding stressed him out way too much.

"Perhaps each bond is different. I'll ask Sam if he knows something about it. Changing topic, there's something I've been wanting to ask you for a while?" –

"Ask away" – what could Jon possibly want to know, he felt intrigued. Nonetheless, something in his gut told him he was not going to like what was coming.

"Would you be mad if I talked to my dad about your work?" –

"What can you possibly tell your dad about my work?" – he was lost, truly lost.

"Dad asked who repaired his car, the Camaro. I already told you it was his birthday present. Well, he said that whoever did it was a great mechanic. So I told him it was you, my friend Gendry Waters from university! HE asked about your major and told me that if you wanted to work or an internship at the company, you should talk to him" – that was a shocker, he could work for his soulmate's father.

"Thanks, but no thanks" – no, that would complicate things up.

"Too late, already told him you'll be interested and meeting him Monday morning, 9 sharp!" – son of a… the guy was just… like Arya. Assuming people would do whatever they pleased or comply with their schemes.

"Damn you Starks! You are all the same!" – he yelled in annoyance and laughed defeated, he couldn't be surprised if all Starks acted that way. Jon laughed out loud and grabbed another can of soda.

"So, Ygritte got bored of you and decided to hunt The Others?" –

"Nah, she's outside the wall visiting her family, comes back in a few days. I'm just killing time here while solving my little sister's love life. Be glad I'm a hell of a brother in law! What about you? Why are you working on Saturday?" – the question was shot as soon as Gendry rolled under his car again.

"Soon I'll leave the shop and go corporate. I'm enjoying it while I can" – since he was planning on working at Stannis company next summer, he knew that when it happens he would not have enough time for his hobbies.

"If you like cars and art so much, why don't you just do it for a living?" – The same question Arya asked him once.

"Because bills need to get paid!" – he answered while rolling out again and getting up. He was pretty much done with Jon's car so he was going to get change now.

"Hey, Robb, Theon, Satin and a few of our friends are hitting the ice rink later, we need one more for the team, you in?" – Jon asked while he was headed towards the bathroom to get change. Hockey, he was a really good player during his high school days, it had been a while since he last played but yeah, he would join them – "Yeah, count me in" – he replied while getting out from the bathroom.

As soon as he was out something happened, something he couldn't explain. He felt as if someone, an invisible being, had just punched him down the gut and sucked the air out of his lungs. He felt pain, sadness, surprise and anger. His heart tightened on his chest. He could feel cold sweat, he hunched over a bit to hold himself. Not enough air was getting into him, he was feeling dizzy.

"Gendry, are you alright?!" – Next to him was Jon, when had he walked in so close?

No, he was not okay. Something had happened, but it was not to him. This feeling, this odd feeling was similar as when he was close to Arya and he could sense whatever she was feeling at the moment, but it had never been this intense.

"Arya! Something has happened to her" – he declared as soon as he could breath and speak again. His phone was out, he needed to call her, immediately. He was completely sure something was going on with her.

"what? Arya? How are you so sure?" –

He probably sounded crazy now, he was desperately calling her and she was not answering. Fuck it, he was going to search for her. Jon's phone started ringing at that moment, he looked at the id before muting an –

"It's Sansa, wait!" – Jon answered, Gendry was already getting his stuff to get out and look for Arya when he heard Jon raising his voice while talking to his sister, the guy motioned him to look at him and wait.

"what? Sansa explain, what happened?" – there was a pause, his face went pale – "I'm on my way" – Jon hanged up and looked at him straight in the eye.

"Bran was ran over by a car, he's at the hospital. Everyone is heading there, Arya included. Let's go!" – Jon was going to his car, Gendry followed.

He really hoped Arya's brother was okay, he really hoped it. Jon was silent the whole way, breaking every speed limit in town. Fast and Furious had nothing on Jon's driving at the moment.

Jon had just included him on a family tragedy. And Gendry was sure that the intense wave of feelings that crashed him a while ago was the result of Arya hearing the news of her brother's accident. He just needed to see her, to make sure she was alright. He could still feel, sense, her pain, sorrow and sadness.

It took them five minutes to get to the hospital, one minute for the nurse to tell them that his brother was in surgery on the third floor and it took them a matter of seconds to run towards the direction said nurse had indicated.

As soon as they were heading to the waiting area outside of the operations room he saw a small group of people, three red haired ones, two he could recognize as Sansa and Robb. He could assume the other one, the older one, to be their mother.

What happened?" – Jon asked while walking towards his family, Gendry slowed down his pace not sure what to do now. He was a friend, not part of the family.

"Gendry!" – he heard Arya whisper before getting detached from her family and running straight into his arms. He held her there, she was shaking and her arms were gripped firmly around her waist. He could sense everything now so hard, what she was feeling that it almost made him want to cry, perhaps that was what she wanted to do but she was playing strong.

"Arry…" – was all he could mutter when he had her in his arms.

He received an odd look from Arya's mother, one filled with curiosity, before she went on explaining Bran's condition to Jon. Apparently a speeding car skipped a red light as Bran was crossing the street.

"He's on surgery now, they say his leg is shattered" – Arya mumbled on his chest. He was trying to calm her, stroking a hand up and down her back and telling her that everything was going to be okay. She was still on her fencing gear, and her hair was in a messy bun. Gendry could see her bag, helmet and sword placed on the ground next to where Rickon Stark was sitting all quiet.

"Cate, have they said anything else? Is he going to be alright?" – Jon was trying to get more information out of Catelyn who was being hugged by her eldest son, who tried to calm her.

"His leg is broken and his femoral artery was compromised. They said something about his hip bone, I don't know. Dad is flying back home right now with Sandor" – Sansa answered him.

"He's going to be alright, you'll see" – Gendry whispered to Arya. There was nothing he or anyone could do now, his only resort was to comfort Arya as much as he could.

Hours passed, Sansa and Jon kept passing around the halls. Catelyn was sitting next to Robb, who still had her arms around her. Arya detached from his arms at some point to sit down, but she never let go of his hand. Rickon was quiet sitting on the same spot.

When the doctor walked through the doors every Stark ran to him, him included since Arya dragged him as she was not letting go of his hand. All of them bombarded him with questions and all of them let out sights of relief when they managed to know Bran was out of danger.

The accident had been very serious, his leg had been broken into several pieces and he lost a lot of blood but he was going to be alright. The doctors managed to fix the haemorrhage almost immediately and placed a metal plaque on his leg. His hip bone was bruised, which meant he was going to be unable to move for a few weeks, but he was going to be fine. Now he was resting on observation and only one person was going to be allowed to visit him until tomorrow when he was going to be moved to a private room.

Arya jumped on him for a hug of excitement when she heard her brother was going to be alright, he could feel the happiness in her even though concern and worrisome was still there.

Since Catelyn was the obvious choice for staying the night with Bran, all of the other Starks were arguing over how they all wanted to stay. Until Catelyn silenced them all and started speaking.

"Jon, you are going to pick your Eddard from the airport, he's arriving in a few hours with Sandor and I don't know who else" -

"But, Catelyn…" – Jon was silenced by a furious glare.

"Sansa you are going over to the house and prepare a bag for everything your brother is going to need during his stay here at the hospital and also pick stuff for me, you're the one who knows where everything is back at the house" – the redhead tried to speak but received the same glare Jon did a few seconds ago – "Rickon you can't stay the night at the hospital you're too young"

"I'm not a kid, I can stay!" -

"No, you can't. You're coming tomorrow along with your sisters. Arya, you go back to the house and shower because you stink. Robb is the one staying in case anything happens until your father arrives, understood?" –

And the complains died, Gendry could see how all of the Starks wanted to speak up but surrendered knowing it was a lost fight. Catelyn Stark was just scary and… strict.

"You…" –

When the blue serious eyes of Catelyn Stark were placed on him, he gulped. When those eyes lingered over the hand Arya had intertwined her fingers with, he gulped again. He could feel the cold sweat drops streaking down the back of his neck and a chuckle coming from the short person on his side when he let go of Arya's hand in a reflex motion.

"We have not been properly introduced" –

"I'm…" –

"He's Gendry" – Arya said as if it answered and explained everything, he could hear Jon chuckling someone mumbling in the back. Catelyn Stark was scanning him, looking at him up and down before grinning a bit with a devious look in her eyes show.

"Well, thank you Gendry for supporting my daughter and all of us during hard times. And I'm sorry, but can you, please, be so kind of accompanying my daughters and Rickon back to our house? I'd feel much more relieved if they don't go alone this late at night" –

"Mum, he…" – Arya tried to say something but he cut her off.

"Yes, of course. It'd be my pleasure, Lady Stark" - he'd been requested something, his soulmate's mother requested something from him and he was going to make a good impression. His mother taught him manners and he would display them on tonight.

"thank you very much, Gendry. Now, please go now before it gets even later" – he was dismissed, if the look in Catelyn was any indication, she had approved of him in some extent, at least as Arya's friend who held her hand for hours and whom she liked to hug.

When Jon pulled him to one side he was pretty much shocked with everything happening around him.

"Catelyn likes you so far, don't make her change her mind. I know this might sound weird but please be you the one who drives them back home, Sansa and Arya drive horribly and I'm kind of freaked out with car accidents. Can you do it?" –

"Yeah, no problem" –

"Thanks, mate. Cat is going to like you even more now!" – Snow wiggled his eyebrows teasing him and making him blush.

Few minutes later, he was walking, while carrying Arya's stuff, towards her car with Sansa, Rickon and Arya. The way to their house was pretty quickly since it was very late and it was done in complete silence. The siblings were still shit worried about their brother and he couldn't blame them. He could still sense the sadness and worriedness in Arya, but it was also accompanied by something that felt as hope and optimism.

Once they arrived and he carried Arya's stuff inside the house he was ready to say goodbye until tomorrow.

"Rickon, are you hungry?" – he heard Sansa ask.

"A bit…" –

"Go to the kitchen, I'll heat you something up since Hodor must be asleep already. Arya, take a shower so you can eat also. Gendry, you must be hungry too, come inside and have something" – the redhead disappeared, making her way to the kitchen and not giving him time to reply.

"She's not asking you if you want to eat, she's pretty much ordering you to come inside and eat, you know? Let's go!" – Rickon motioned for him to follow his lead and he went inside, he saw Arya making her way upstairs.

The Stark house was huge, in reality it was a mansion and not a simple house. He knew the Starks were rich but not that rich. The kitchen itself was pretty much the size of his apartment and it was filled with modern appliances. He followed Rickon as he sat on the kitchen island and watched Sansa moving around heating food.

"Here, have some" – in front of him was a bowl of stew and some bread, she served him something to drink too. He was unsure but he ate anyways while Sansa started making sandwiches and putting them on a tray, along with cans of soda.

"You can stay the night if you want" – Sansa declared.

"Uhm, thanks but…" –

"Again, she's not asking you. It'd be cool if you stay, though. You can use the guest room!" – the youngest told him.

"I know Arya would like you to stay" – he felt the blush crept up his neck while Sansa Stark smiled deviously at him.

"Yep, she would like that very much!" – Rickon laughed. That kid for being so young was pretty smart.

"Besides, who's going to help me carry all of mum's bags tomorrow? I'm sure you'd like to impress her even more" – and now he was blushing hard and not looking up while the others two laughed at him softly. He finished his bowl of stew and just as he prepared to say his goodbyes again, Sansa asked him to give Arya the tray of sandwiches.

"I know she would say no to eat something now, and in the middle of the night she'd wake up hungry so I'm sending her something now to survive on later. Please take it to her, if you'd be so kind. Thank you" – and she left leaving Rickon to clean up.

"she's very bossy, isn't she?" – he thought out loud making Rickon laugh.

"You'll get used to it"

He was awkwardly standing in the kitchen holding the tray and wondering how in seven hells would he know where Arya's room was.

"Second floor, the door on the right that has the "fuck off" sign on it" –

He went upstairs and immediately caught sight of the "fuck off" sign, it was just so… Arya. The door was open but he knocked anyways until he heard a "get inside you bullfuck" coming from a door he assumed was her own bathroom. Fuck, she even had her personal bathroom!

Arya's room was a mess, but those types of messes that you know the owner actually knows where everything is placed. It was a reflection of her, band posters on the wall, a table with books and her laptop (he placed the food tray there). There were a bunch of medals and trophies everywhere. He walked in investigating every part of her bedroom, he was excited being there and getting to see that side of her.

By her drawer he found picture frames, a whole lot of them. He could see Arya as a kid, which make him smile. Pictures of her and Jon, pictures with her other siblings. Christmas pictures with her parents.

But a certain picture caught his eye the most, she was hugging two people, two guys he did not know. All three of them were on fencing gears, without the helmets. Arya was in the middle, smiling and facing the camera. Her haircut was different, a pixie. Maybe that was what she sported before letting her hair grow to how she wore it now.

The guy on her left was smiling at the camera, he was a blue eyed blond, those pretty blonds that look like the perfect description of high school athlete star on movies; the other guy was older and he was not facing the camera but her. He was so blond his hair was almost white and his eyes were a weird almost purple colour and he was looking at her in a way that made him hate the guy immediately. That look he was giving her implied something, perhaps there was history there and he felt jealous even when he knew he shouldn't be, she had a life before meeting him and he should respect that.

"Those are Edric and Aegon" – she was inside the room now, wearing an old shirt and flannel pants, drying her hair with a towel. She walked until she was next to him looking at the picture.

"We trained together" – she pointed to which guy was who, blue eyed blond was Edric Dayne and then she pointed the other, he assumed to be Aegon.

"I bet you can't guess who this guy is" –

"No idea" – he answered. He already hated this guy, she was probably going to tell him about her boyfriend or ex boyfriend.

"He's Jon's brother, from his dad's side" – he didn't expect that.

"They don't look alike at all and they are complete opposites in personality. When they are together they fight like mad people all the time" – she started looking for something in her drawers.

"I looked so bad with that hair, don't know what I was thinking when I cut it myself" – she laughed while taking out some tshirt and sweatpants.

"I think you looked pretty" –

"I do not looked pretty then nor now"

"To me you always look pretty" - he blurted out and regretted it when she looked at him with wide eyes. But it was true, she looked good with short hair and she looks good with longer hair. He always finds her pretty, she's the prettiest girl he has laid his eyes on. Now he could feel how his neck and ears were turning red in embarrassment. He wanted to take back what he said but he also wanted her to know he thinks she's pretty.

Now, she was blushing hard and smiling shyly. He could sense her own embarrassment but there was something more, she was happy. Even though he was sensing multiple types of feelings, worriedness, sadness he attributed them to be about her brother in the hospital, she was also happy now. Did the fact that he finds her to be pretty made her happy?

"Here, you can wear this!" – she handed him his own tee she stole a while back and a pair of huge sweatpants.

"Whose pants are this?" – please, let them not be Aegon's, he pleaded in his mind.

"They are Brienne's. She's a friend of mine and she's really tall, like reaaaaally tall" – she was offering clothes for him to stay the night, which he still didn't think to be a good idea, he was going to tell her that he'd see her in the morning when he visited her brother.

"Please, stay. Just stay" – and he made up his mind, he was staying the night. He went inside the bathroom to get changed and once he came out she motioned him to get on the bed. He planned on staying on the guest room as Rickon offered but Arya didn't want to be alone. He got on her bed and she snuggled against him.

"I was scared, you know?" – she spoke. She was lying by his side, almost using him like a pillow. Her face was hidden on the crook of his neck.

"I know" – he did really know how scared she was. He wondered if she knew or if she could sense what he was feeling as he could sense her – "But your brother is going to be okay, you heard the doctors" – he ran his hand up and down her back –

"How come you arrived with Jon? Were you with him when Sansa called?"

"I was with him but…" – should he tell her how he felt the rush of emotions?

"But?" – she was looking at him now, interested, too interested.

"Before Sansa called him I felt something had happened. I knew something had happened to you and I called and texted you, but you didn't answer. I just knew, I could feel it in my gut. I think I knew when you heard the news about Bran's accident, Arya. I felt your shock, sadness, pain and anger… I don't know… I just knew I needed to be with you" – he looked at her in the eyes.

He saw the wave of emotions crossing her iron grey eyes as much as he felt them. Happiness, shock, sadness and fear. He saw again the flicker of fear crossing her eyes and he was about to ask her, at last, what she feared so much that made her reject their match when she leaned in and kissed him, on the cheek.

"Thank you, for being there" – he could feel himself grinning a goofy smile. He could feel the blush emerging all over his face, neck and ears. And he could feel she meant her thanks.

"Let's sleep, Arya. You need to rest" – he was there, in her bed with her cuddled against him and he wanted her, he so wanted her but it was not only lust. He wanted to make her happy, smile and to make her troubles go away. She hugged him closer and after a short time she she fell into a slumber.

And Sansa was right, Arya did wake up in the middle of the night hungry. When morning came he had breakfast with the Stark siblings and he carried a hundred bags onto a big truck and drove them all to the hospital. That Sunday, he met Ned Stark.

* * *

 **Author's note**

Sorry for the delay. I had to go out of town without my computer, then I came back and holidays happened and then my computer charger decided to die and I had to wait until I got a new one and then Netflix happened. Hoped it gave a little bit of background about the soulmate thing and stuff.


End file.
